The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-26
THE GITIZEN-(NO. A.
His Duties to Ills Country-Immigration and
Its Dangers to Our institutions.

Written for the Sunday journal.
| The citizen with an intelligent and true con
! ception of citizenship and with a proper appre
citation OF his privileges will inquire. What
may the state expect of mel What are
my dutesg Ex-President D. S. Gregory has
answered this question admirably from an ethi-
cal standpoint LAS the state, by its exercise OF
authority. prote cts the citizen in the enjoy
of all his blessings. and furnishes him a wide
sphere for development and activity, there OBJ
vionsly arise the duties of honor and affection
for the state and its constituted authorities; of
support and defense of its existence. rights and
institutions; and of obedience to it's just laws
There three lines for the citizen to follow
viz, virtue. patriotism and independence.
Taxing up the first of these, then. the individ-
ual, as protected in freedom, owes it to his ma
tion to guard its virtue. In the language of an
other. However a nation may resist other evils.
history is consistent in teaching the lesson that
no government can live when the sources OF its
power have become corrupted. AS long the
hearts of the people are right the nation IS safe,
but when the people are seduced from the path
of integrity the inevitable result is decay and
dissolution" Whenever citizens become so cor
rupt and SO dead to true sense of right that
they will connive to vitate the returns of the
ballot-box. then our freedom is in danger and re-
publican institutions tremble. When politicians
will resort to the disreputable and criminal prac
tees illustrated within the past year two in the
purchase Of street-railway franchise in Now
York; or in the vitiated election returns. al in
Cincinnati or Chicago or moro recently in Indi-
apapoIis--it is high time that public opinion
should blaze out in purifying fire; that text
books were prepared on civics and put into the
hands of every American youth-aye. more!
put them unto the hands and heads OF each nat
uralized man before he is allowed voice in
municipality OF state. This should be done as a
preventive. And where criminals already are
at large let grand juries be summoned that will
not perjure themselves aud have the rascais
hunted down. If the law is not severe enough
in certain localities pass others that severe
enough. The changing of tally Sheets the de-
struction of ballots and the suppression of facts
concerning the crime and criminals must be
treated as high crime against the
state and our most sacred rights.
Our Republic cannot exist long II
such condition of affairs is allowed to obtain
All good citizens should use their influence,
time and money. if necessary, to put an end to
this business. 1t may seem like a small thing
sometimes whether this man that is alder
man represeu tative. But the principle In
volved is everything In our Republic the penl-
tentiary ought to yawn for these enemies OF lib
erty, enemies of justice, and enemies of OUR
country. Political viainy cannot be tolerated
with safety nor innocence on the part OF the
people.
Another form of easy virtue in politics is the
of money in elections, city and State gov
ernments This vice will do for civil affairs
what the worm will do for the tree whom allowed
to bore to its heart-kiil it. We have men in
high places to-day whose itching palms have
made the very statue of liberty blush. If such
thing were possible. We have good
influence of great wealth has placed
some in high Office; and on the principle that
fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind" others
have lent themselves to whitewashng schemes.
This class of politicians must be reeeated to the
background if We would purify the turbid
waters of politics. Let the shades OF oblivion
this we should begin with tho rising generation,
like the Spartan women of old, who taught their
sons virtue, patriotism and heroism. They
must be taught tho use of money in the purchase
of either place or legislation is a crime against
the will Of the people, who are sQ2ereign in this
country. Lot each good citizen oeccme the CEN
ter of influence which will elevate the political
tone and purify the atmosphere about him. A
good citizen cannot do less.
The shadow of suspicion has fallen upon our
national Senate, presumably the purest body in
our legislative network. 1t is not good omen
that it is rapidly becoming body of rich mon.
Prof j. A. WOODBURY., of our State University,
facetiously inquiries. in a recent address. "Who
are the famous Senators from Michigan, and
Wisconsin. and Minnesota. and Colorado, and
Nevadaf Echo answers whoa But they have an
influence aggregating many millions of dollars"
We might add to this list Ohio and California
and one two other States.
Says this professor again. 1.-The Pennsylvania
Central has a more potent voice in determining
the Senators from several States than the sover-
eign people themselves" Tho people must be
taught not to look lightly upon this evil. Rep
resentatives usually represent. AS rule. if cur
Legislatures are not what they ought to be it is
because their constituencies are corrupt. The |
fountain must be pure
There is another danger threatening tho well
fare OF our country, and to which each voter
should turn his attention. The tremendous |
influx of foreigners into this country threatens
to destroy many of the institutions which the |
American loves, and of which he is proud |
These people come without knowledge of orr |
form OF government without sympathy with |
our morals nor appreciation of our institutions |
They are pouring in from all points of the COM |
pass at the rate of half million and more per |
year. Note some of the figures: Ia 1880 there |
ss7sss people as.,. in so this
as follows; Germany, 1966, 742 Ireland
85457l; British America, 717,0S4; English |
662, GIG; Sweden. 194337 Norway, ISL. 729;
Scotland ITO, 1876; France. 106.97l; Chinese |
l04. SAL, etc. These people came over here, |
many of them. Disguised with their own govern
ments. prepared to hate any and all govern
ments natural enemies of existing institutions
They came here because they hoped improve |
their pecuniary circumstances. They had an |
indefinite idea of liberty which is license usually |
and anarchy sometimes. This is not true OF all. |
but of too many. Since 1880, average of over |
one-half million have been coming over here
The past few months We have
an uproeeueuteu Influx, SO tuat We may Sateiy
add another three and a half millions making
over 10, 900. 600 foreign-born people now in the
United States Add to this number large part |
of the frss generation born in this |
coantry, aud wa will have little less
than fifteen millions of un-Amercanized |
people to digest and to appropriate; else be I
appropriated by them. It is becoming serious
question which way this thing is going. The |
foreigner lin education and sympathies copst-
lutes nearly one fourth of our population Are |
they molding our Nation to their way of think
ing, or We bringing them American ideas
and customs2 We are not down Foreigners
II we were we would have little respect for our
forefathers. We are not down on q good bill OF |
fare at our dining hour; but when we have eaten
all wa can appropriate We must lay down our knife
and fork. We hold that we have about as many
slements in this country control
we'll for the present Let US shut down the
gates for the public good for a season. When
we have our population well in hand; when po-
litje oil has he